As your loved ones get older, you may find yourself more and more concerned about their driving habits. It’s natural to feel a little anxious about your 75-year old mom driving on I-75. Being able to drive is a great way for seniors to keep their independence, but at times senior drivers can present a danger on the road. This subject can be difficult to discuss with parents and loved ones, so make sure they know you are trying to keep them safe while helping them maintain independence. Here are a few driving safety tips to make sure that your senior is healthy, safe, and confident in their car.
1. Keep Active
Staying active will improve your senior’s strength and flexibility, which are both very important when you get behind the wheel. Try to encourage your loved one to participate in some type of daily physical activity; whether it’s a walk, a senior yoga class or simply stretching to increase flexibility.
2. Take a Refresher Course
Odds are, your senior driver hasn’t reviewed the rules of the road for a while. If your loved one received their license in their earlier years, a good driving safety tip is to help them enroll in a senior driver safety course to make sure they’re up to date on all traffic rules and regulations. There are many programs both online and in person that your senior can choose from, and as a bonus, some insurance companies will give senior drivers discounts for taking this extra step.
3. Check Hearing and Sight Regularly
Making sure that senior drivers can hear and see properly is paramount to their safety on the road. Your loved one’s vision and hearing may worsen without them noticing any big change. Both vision and hearing need to be checked annually, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a doctor if your loved one voices any concerns. Also, seniors should take note that having the windows down, or the radio on, can obstruct hearing and create a risky situation.
4. Review Prescriptions
It’s also important to review medications with your parents and loved ones and ensure that none of their prescriptions can cause drowsiness or fatigue. These side effects create an unsafe environment for a driver and anyone else on the road. Use this free tool from the AAA Foundation for Safety,
Roadwise RX, to make sure that none of your loved ones prescriptions affect their safe driving abilities.
5. Help Your Loved Ones Understand their Limitations
Being realistic about what seniors can and can’t do is important. By planning ahead and setting realistic driving expectations, you and your loved ones can make sure they are safe and practical when they head out on the road. When planning on driving, seniors should always get plenty of sleep before a trip and should try drive in optimal weather conditions whenever possible. Talk with their doctor regularly to make sure being on the road is in their best interest.
Sharing your concerns with your loved one about their driving skills can be daunting, but if you approach the subject with respect and understanding, a dialogue with your senior driver can be very helpful. Unfortunately, sometimes seniors reach a point where driving is no longer a viable option. If you’ve gone through these driving safety tips and feel this is the case, set aside time to help your senior find alternative means of transportation, like ride sharing, public transportation, community shuttles, or even walking and cycling paths. Remember, the most important goal is to keep your loved ones and everyone else safe on the road.